Preparing Your Business for Your Absence

Like many of you, I am the solo provider in my office. So when I am away, there are several things I need to take care of. Here are some things for you to think about when you are away for vacation, illness, continuing education or what-have you.

1. Let your patients know of your plans well in advance. At least one month if not sooner. This allows them to plan as well.

2. Notify your pharmacies as well. Several of the ones I routinely deal with will go ahead and fill a refill if it's a chronic medication so patients don't run out. Of course, this excludes controlled substances.

3. Put up a notice on your website.

4. Change your outgoing phone message and/or notify your answering service of your absence.

5. Leave instructions for patients on how to contact you (if you will be available) or what to do in an emergency.

6. Make arrangements for patients to be seen in other offices if available.

7. Consider hiring a locum tenens to manage your patients during your absence.

8. If you will be on call, leave instructions on how to contact you and when to expect a return call.

9. Stop your mail delivery.

10. Consider notifying UPS, FedEx, etc that your office will be closed and to hold any deliveries.

11. Notify other offices in your building, or neighboring businesses of your absences. They will be able to keep an eye open for suspicious activity.

12. Consider giving a trusted individual keys to your office. If there is a problem (power outage) you'll want someone to be able to rescue medications and immunization that you likely have in your refrigerator.

13. If you choose to keep your fax on, you'll want someone to check it from time to time. (Don't forget about HIPPA).

14. Leave a note within the office with emergency contact information if law enforcement or the like need to enter your office.

15. Depending on your situation, you may want to leave a staff member in the office at least part of the day to field calls and handle some of the day to day requests that come in.

You may do some, none or all of the above. However, the more you can do, the easier your return will be. You may even find that people felt so well cared for, they didn't even miss you!